Galangal's introduction of the growth morphology

The growth morphology of galangal

Herbs perennial, 30 ~ 80 cm tall. Rhizome terete, transverse, brownish red or purplish red, nodular, with annular membranous scales at nodes, rooting at nodes. Stem tufted, erect. Leaves 2 columns; Sessile; Leaf blade narrowly linear-lanceolate, 15 -- 30 cm long and 1.5 -- 2 cm wide, apex acute, base tapering, entire or with inconspicuously sparsely obtuse teeth, glabrous on both surfaces; Leaf sheath open, cauline, margin membranous, ligule up to 3 cm long, straight, membranous, acuminate, brown. Racemes conical, terminal, 5 -- 15 cm long, with dense flowers; Bracteoles persistent, membranous, brown, ring-shaped to oblong, outside sparsely hairy; Flowers bisexual, shortish; Calyx tubular, 7 -- 14 mm long, 3-lobed, brownish yellow, outside with short hairs; Corolla tube funnelform, ca. 1 cm long, lobes 3, ca. 1.7 cm long, light fleshy red, outside sparsely pubescent; Lips rectangular ovate to rectangular broadly ovate, light fleshy red, with purplish red stripes in the middle, 2 ~ 2.5 cm long; Lateral staminodes conical, staminodes 1, filaments stout, septum expanded, apex broad, 2-lobed forked; Ovary lower, 3-locular, style slender, base below with 2 connate cylindrical nectaries, ca. 3 mm long, stigma 2 lipped. Capsule dehiscent, globose, ca. 1.2 cm in diameter, short hairy, orange red when ripe. Seeds with aril, obtuse angular, brown. Flowering from April to October.

This product is the dried rhizomes of Alpinia officinarum Hance, a ginger plant in the ginger family. At the end of summer and the beginning of autumn, remove the fibrous roots and residual scales, wash, cut, dried in the sun.

This product is cylindrical, much curved, branching, 5 -- 9cm long, 1 -- 1.5cm in diameter. The surface is brownish red to dark brown, with fine longitudinal wrinkles and gray brown wavy links, internode length is 0.2 ~ 1cm, one side has circular root scars. Tough quality, not easy to break, section gray brown or red brown, fibrous, about 1/3 of the middle column. Fragrant, spicy taste.

Cross section of galangal

Thickened outer wall of epidermal cells, some containing reddish brown amorphous matter. There are many vascular bundles in the middle trace of cortex and they are tough externally. The endodermis is evident. There are many tough vascular bundles outside the middle column, and the bundle sheath fibers are ringed and woody. Most secretory cells were scattered in the cortex and parenchyma of the middle column, containing yellow or reddish brown resinous materials. Parenchyma cells are filled with starch grains.